Congressional Bills, 103rd Congress (1993-1994) to Present

About Congressional Bills

What are congressional bills?

Congressional bills are legislative proposals from the House of Representatives and Senate within the United States Congress. There are eight different types of bills.

There are numerous different bill versions that track a bill through the legislative process from introduction through passage by both chambers (enrolled version). All final published bill versions are available from GPO.

What is available?

All published versions of bills from the 103rd (1993-1994) Congress forward are available. The system is updated by 6 a.m. (EST) daily when bills are published and approved for release.

Bulk data downloads of bill text and bill summaries in XML format are available on GPO’s Bulk Data Repository.

Types of Legislation

Bills

H.R. – House Bill

S. – Senate Bill

A bill is a legislative proposal before Congress. Bills from each house are assigned a number in the order in which they are introduced, starting at the beginning of each Congress (first and second sessions). Public bills pertain to matters that affect the general public or classes of citizens, while private bills pertain to individual matters that affect individuals and organizations, such as claims against the Government.

Joint Resolutions

H.J. Res. – House Joint Resolution

S.J. Res. – Senate Joint Resolution

A joint resolution is a legislative proposal that requires the approval of both houses and the signature of the President, just as a bill does. Resolutions from each house are assigned a number in the order in which they are introduced, starting at the beginning of each Congress (first and second sessions). There is no real difference between a bill and a joint resolution. Joint resolutions generally are used for limited matters, such as a single appropriation for a specific purpose. They are also used to propose amendments to the Constitution. A joint resolution has the force of law, if approved. Joint resolutions become a part of the Constitution when three-quarters of the states have ratified them; they do not require the President's signature.

Concurrent Resolutions

H. Con. Res. – House Concurrent Resolution

S. Con. Res. – Senate Concurrent Resolution

A concurrent resolution is a legislative proposal that requires the approval of both houses but does not require the signature of the President and does not have the force of law. Concurrent resolutions generally are used to make or amend rules that apply to both houses. They are also used to express the sentiments of both of the houses. For example, a concurrent resolution is used to set the time of Congress' adjournment. It may also be used by Congress to convey congratulations to another country on the anniversary of its independence.

Simple Resolutions

H. Res. – House Simple Resolution

S. Res. – Senate Simple Resolution

A simple resolution is a legislative proposal that addresses matters entirely within the prerogative of one house or the other. It requires neither the approval of the other house nor the signature of the President, and it does not have the force of law. Most simple resolutions concern the rules of one house. They are also used to express the sentiments of a single house. For example, a simple resolution may offer condolences to the family of a deceased member of Congress, or it may give "advice" on foreign policy or other executive business.

Common Versions of Bills

Version

Version Abbreviation

Definition

Chamber(s)

Amendment Ordered to be Printed Senate

as

An alternate name for this version is Senate Amendment Ordered to be Printed. This version contains an amendment that has been ordered to be printed.

Senate

Additional Sponsors House

ash

An alternate name for this version is House Sponsors or Cosponsors Added or Withdrawn. This version is used to add or delete cosponsor names. When used, it most often shows numerous cosponsors being added.

House

Agreed to House

ath

An alternate name for this version is Agreed to by House. This version is a simple or concurrent resolution as agreed to in the House of Representatives.

House

Agreed to Senate

ats

An alternate name for this version is Agreed to by Senate. This version is a simple or concurrent resolution as agreed to in the Senate.

Senate

Committee Discharged House

cdh

An alternate name for this version is House Committee Discharged from Further Consideration. This version is a bill or resolution as it was when the committee to which the bill or resolution has been referred has been discharged from its consideration to make it available for floor consideration.

House Senate

Committee Discharged Senate

cds

An alternate name for this version is Senate Committee Discharged from Further Consideration. This version is a bill or resolution as it was when the committee to which the bill or resolution has been referred has been discharged from its consideration to make it available for floor consideration.

Senate House

Considered and Passed House

cph

Considered and Passed House – An alternate name for this version is Considered and Passed by House. This version is a bill or joint resolution as considered and passed.

House

Considered and Passed Senate

cps

An alternate name for this version is Considered and Passed by Senate. This version is a bill or joint resolution as considered and passed.

Senate House

Engrossed Amendment House

eah

An alternate name for this version is Engrossed Amendment as Agreed to by House. This version is the official copy of a bill or joint resolution as passed, including the text as amended by floor action, and certified by the Clerk of the House before it is sent to the Senate. Often this is the engrossment of an amendment in the nature of a substitute, an amendment which replaces the entire text of a measure. It strikes out everything after the enacting or resolving clause and inserts a version which may be somewhat, substantially, or entirely different.

House Senate

Engrossed Amendment Senate

eas

An alternate name for this version is Engrossed Amendment as Agreed to by Senate. This version is the official copy of the amendment to a bill or joint resolution as passed, including the text as amended by floor action, and certified by the Secretary of the Senate before it is sent to the House. Often this is the engrossment of an amendment in the nature of a substitute, an amendment which replaces the entire text of a measure. It strikes out everything after the enacting or resolving clause and inserts a version which may be somewhat, substantially, or entirely different.

House Senate

Engrossed in House

eh

An alternate name for this version is Engrossed as Agreed to or Passed by House. This version is the official copy of the bill or joint resolution as passed, including the text as amended by floor action, and certified by the Clerk of the House before it is sent to the Senate.

House

Engrossed and Deemed Passed by House

eph

This version is the official copy of the bill or joint resolution as passed and certified by the Clerk of the House before it is sent to the Senate. See H. J. RES. 280 from the 101st Congress for an example of this bill version.

House

Enrolled Bill

enr

An alternate name for this version is Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate. This version is the final official copy of the bill or joint resolution which both the House and the Senate have passed in identical form. After it is certified by the chief officer of the house in which it originated (the Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate), then signed by the House Speaker and the Senate President Pro Tempore, the measure is sent to the President for signature.

Joint Senate House

Engrossed in Senate

es

An alternate name for this version is Engrossed as Agreed to or Passed by Senate. This version is the official copy of the bill or joint resolution as passed, including the text as amended by floor action, and certified by the Secretary of the Senate before it is sent to the House.

Senate

Failed Amendment House

fah

This amendment has failed in the House.

House

Failed Passage House

fph

Bill or resolution that failed to pass the House.

House

Failed Passage Senate

fps

Bill or resolution that failed to pass the Senate.

Senate

Held at Desk House

hdh

An alternate name for this bill version is Ordered Held at House Desk after being Received from House. This version has been held at the desk in the House.

House

Held at Desk Senate

hds

An alternate name for this bill version is Ordered Held at Senate Desk after being Received from House. This version is a bill or resolution as received in the Senate from the House which has been ordered to be held at the desk, sometimes in preparation for going to conference. It is available to be called up for consideration by unanimous consent.

Senate

Introduced in House

ih

This version is a bill or resolution as formally presented by a member of Congress to a clerk when the House is in session.

House

Indefinitely Postponed House

iph

This version is a bill or resolution as it was when consideration was suspended with no date specified for continuing its consideration.

House

Indefinitely Postponed Senate

ips

This version is a bill or resolution as it was when consideration was suspended with no date specified for continuing its consideration.

Senate House

Introduced in Senate

is

This version is a bill or resolution as formally presented by a member of Congress to a clerk when the Senate is in session.

Senate

Laid on Table in House

lth

This version is a bill or resolution as laid on the table which disposes of it immediately, finally, and adversely via a motion without a direct vote on its substance.

House Senate

Laid on Table in Senate

lts

This version was laid on the table in the Senate. See also Laid on Table in House.

Senate House

Ordered to be Printed House

oph

This version was ordered to be printed by the House. See also Ordered to be Printed Senate.

House

Ordered to be Printed Senate

ops

This version was ordered to be printed by the Senate. For example, in the 105th Congress S. 1173 was considered at length by the Senate, returned to the Senate calendar, ordered to be printed. Then its text was inserted into its companion House bill which was passed by the Senate.

Senate

Previous Action Vitiated

pav

This version is a bill or resolution as it was when an action previously taken on it was undone or invalidated. For example in the 102nd Congress for H.R. 2321 the Senate action discharging the Energy Committee and amending and passing the bill was vitiated by unanimous consent. The bill was amended, reported, and passed anew.

Senate House

Placed on Calendar House

pch

This version is a bill or resolution as placed on one of the five House calendars. It is eligible for floor consideration, but a place on a calendar does not guarantee consideration.

House Senate

Placed on Calendar Senate

pcs

This version is a bill or resolution as placed on one of the two Senate calendars. It is eligible for floor consideration, but a place on a calendar does not guarantee consideration.

Senate House

Public Print

pp

Any bill from the House or Senate may be issued as a public print. If a bill is issued as a Public Print more copies will be printed than are printed for an engrossed version. Public prints also number the amendments made by the last chamber to pass it. Public Prints are typically published by the Senate to show Senate amendments to House bills. They typically contain the text of a House bill, indicating portions struck, plus Senate amendments in italics. They are routinely ordered for appropriations bills, but the Senate occasionally by unanimous consent orders public prints of other significant bills.

Senate House

Printed as Passed

pap

This version is a public print of a bill as passed. Generally, appropriation bills receive a PP designation while non-appropriation bills receive a PAP designation. See also Public Print.

Senate House

Ordered to be Printed with House Amendment

pwah

This version shows Senate amendments to a House bill. It is similar to a Public Print from the Senate, except that it does not include portions struck, only the Senate amendment in the nature of a substitute in italics. See S. 1059 from the 106th Congress for an example of this bill version on a Senate bill.

House Senate

Referred with Amendments House

rah

This version was referred with amendments to the House.

House

Referred with Amendments Senate

ras

This version was referred with amendments to the Senate.

Senate

Reference Change House

rch

An alternate name for this bill version is Referred to Different or Additional House Committee. This version is a bill or resolution as re-referred to a different or additional House committee. It may have been discharged from the committee to which it was originally referred then referred to a different committee, referred to an additional committee sequentially, or reported by the original committee then referred to an additional committee. See S. 1016 for an example of this bill version on a Senate bill.

House Senate

Reference Change Senate

rcs

An alternate name for this version is Referred to Different or Additional Senate Committee. This version is a bill or resolution as it was re-referred to a different or additional Senate committee. It may have been discharged from the committee to which it was originally referred then referred to a different committee, referred to an additional committee sequentially, or reported by the original committee then referred to an additional committee. See H.R. 1502 from the 105th Congress for an example of this bill version on a House bill.

Senate House

Received in House

rdh

An alternate name for this bill version is Received in House from Senate. This version is a bill or resolution as passed or agreed to in the Senate which has been sent to and received in the House. See the 105th Congress for an example of this bill version.

House

Received in Senate

rds

An alternate name for this bill version is Received in Senate from House. This version is a bill or resolution as it was passed or agreed to in the House which has been sent to and received in the Senate.

Senate

Re-engrossed Amendment House

reah

This version is a re-engrossed amendment in the House.

House Senate

Re-engrossed Amendment Senate

res

This version is a re-engrossed amendment in the Senate. See also Engrossed Amendment Senate.

Senate House

Re-enrolled Bill

renr

This version has been re-enrolled.

Joint House Senate

Referred in House

rfh

An alternate name for this bill version is Referred to House Committee after being Received from Senate. This version is a bill or resolution as passed or agreed to in the Senate which has been sent to, received in the House, and referred to House committee or committees.

Senate House

Referred in Senate

rfs

An alternate name for this bill version is Referred to Senate Committee after being Received from House. This version is a bill or resolution as passed or agreed to in the House which has been sent to, received in the Senate, and referred to Senate committee or committees.

House Senate

Reported in House

rh

This version is a bill or resolution as reported by the committee or one of the committees to which it was referred, including changes, if any, made in committee. The bill or resolution is usually accompanied by a committee report which describes the measure, the committee's views on it, its costs, and the changes it proposes to make in existing law. The bill or resolution is then available for floor consideration. This version occurs to both House and Senate bills.

House Senate

Referral Instructions House

rih

An alternate name for this bill version is Referred to House Committee with Instructions. This version is a bill or resolution as referred or re-referred to committee with instructions to take some action on it. Invariably in the House the instructions require the committee to report the measure forthwith with specified amendments.

House Senate

Referral Instructions Senate

ris

An alternate name for this bill version is Referred to Senate Committee with Instructions. This version is a bill or resolution as referred or re-referred to committee with instructions to take some action on it. Often in the Senate the instructions require the committee to report the measure forth with specified amendments.

Senate House

Reported in Senate

rs

This version is a bill or resolution as reported by the committee or one of the committees to which it was referred, including changes, if any, made in committee. The bill or resolution is usually accompanied by a committee report which describes the measure, the committee's views on it, its costs, and the changes it proposes to make in existing law. The bill or resolution is then available for floor consideration.

Senate House

Referred to Committee House

rth

Bill or resolution as referred or re-referred to a House committee or committees. See 104th Congress for an example of this bill version.

House

Referred to Committee Senate

rts

Bill or resolution as referred or re-referred to a Senate committee or committees.

Searching Congressional Bills

Using Advanced Search; fields specific to bills will display after you select Congressional Bills in the Refine by Collection column,

Using Citation Search to retrieve a single bill in PDF format if you know the Congress number bill type, bill number, and bill version,

Refining search results by clicking on links in the Refine Your Search panel on the left hand side of the page (the sections under Refine Your Search correspond to the metadata available for the documents), and

Search Examples

Search for Bills by Congress Number, Bill Type, Bill Number and Bill Version - These examples will search for the Introduced in Senate version of Senate Joint Resolution from the 109th Congress with 12 as the Bill Number.

Select Congressional Bills under Refine by Collection, then under Search In select Congress Number in the first box and select 109 in the second box

Click + Additional Criteria and select Bill Type then select House Joint Resolution (H.J. Res.) from the next box

Click + Additional Criteria and select Bill Number then enter 10 in the next box

Browsing the Congressional Bills page, navigate to 109th Congress (2005-2006), then House Joint Resolution (H.J Res.), then 0-99, then scroll down to H.J. Res. 10 to see the available versions

Search for Bills Sponsored by a Congress Member from a State - These examples will search bills sponsored by Congress members from California.

Using the Basic Search, enter:
collection:bills then click Search then Refine Your Search by selecting California (CA) under the Sponsors and Co-sponsors State section

Using Advanced Search, select Congressional Bills under Refine Your Search, click the search button, then Refine Your Search by selecting California (CA) under the Sponsors and Co-sponsors State section

Search for Bills by Title - These examples will search for bills with the word innovation in the full title or short title.

Using Basic Search, enter: collection:bills and title:innovation

Using Advanced Search, select Congressional Bills under Refine by Collection, then under Search In select Title in the first box and enter innovation in the second box

Search for Bills by Sponsor and Keyword - These examples will search for bills sponsored by Senator McConnell with the word democracy in the text of the bill.

Using Basic Search, enter democracy and collection:bills and member:McConnell

Using Advanced Search,

Select Congressional Bills under Refine by Collection, then under Search In select Sponsor in the first box and then enter McConnell in the second box

Click + Additional Criteria and in the second box enter: democracy

Using Basic Search, enter: democracy then click search then Refine Your Search by selecting Congressional Bills from the Collection section and selecting McConnell, Mitch from the Sponsor and Cosponsor section

Search for Bills by Member From a State and Keyword - These examples will search for bills sponsored by Congress members from California with the word environment in the text of the bill.

Using Basic Search, enter: environment then click search then Refine Your Search by selecting Congressional Bills from the Collection section and selecting California (CA) from the Sponsor and Cosponsor state section

Using Advanced Search,

select Congressional Bills under Refine by Collection then under Search In enter: environment into the second box and click Search

Refine Your Search by selecting California (CA) from the Sponsors and Co-sponsors State section

Find Related Documents

On select Congressional Bills Details pages, a “Related Documents” tab will display other documents within govinfo that are related to that particular bill. Where available, these include other bill versions of the legislation; Congressional Reports for the legislation; Presidential Signing Statements and Remarks for legislation from the Compilation of Presidential Documents; Public Laws for the legislation; Statutes at Large document for the legislation; U.S. Code documents that reference the legislation.

Search for hr 803, click details, then the related documents tab. You will find these documents related to hr 803: other bill versions, Congressional reports, the Presidential Signing Statement, Public Law, Statutes at Large document, and documents where the legislation is referenced in the U.S. Code.

Congressional Bills Metadata Fields and Values

Metadata fields and values can be used to increase the relevancy of your searches. The metadata fields available for Congressional Bills are listed in the table below. Metadata fields and values are used throughout govinfo for:

Refining Your Search,

Browsing Government Publications,

Field Operators,

Advanced Search, and

Display on Details pages.

Metadata fields and values can be entered into the Basic Search box using field operators. The field operators available for the Federal Register are listed in the table below, along with examples for each metadata field. Using Field Operators

Some of these metadata fields are made available for use in Advanced Search. The metadata values can be entered in the same format for the fields available on the Advanced Search Page. Using Advanced Search

Metadata Field Display Name

Metadata Field Definition

Field Operator

Field Operator Example

Collection

The collection to which the document belongs. Typically the same as the publication or series.

collection:

collection:bills

Government Author

The names of the Government organizations responsible for authoring or assembling the document.

governmentauthor:

governmentauthor:senate

Publication Date

The date the document was first made available to the public.

publishdate:

publishdate:2006-09-30

Date format is YYYY, YYYY-MM, or YYYY-MM-DD

Language

The language code of the original document, from the ISO639-2b standard.

language:

language:eng

Former Package ID

The document ID of the "package" as originally specified on GPO Access

mods:identifier:(@type:"former package identifier":______)

mods:identifier:(@type:"former package identifier":"f:h2800ih.txt")

Stock Number

The 12 digit GPO Sales stock number for the publication or series. Usually formatted like "769-004-00000-9".

stocknum:

stocknum:021-610-00252-9

SuDoc Class Number

The SuDoc class number from the U.S. Superintendent of Documents which classifies Government publications by publishing agency.

sudocclass:

sudocclass:"Y 1.6:"

Note: The SuDoc Class Numbers in FDsys are at the class stem level, not the book number level.

Ingestion Date

The date the document was ingested into the FDsys preservation repository.

ingestdate:

ingestdate:2010-01-07

Note: Date format is YYYY-MM-DD

Electronic Location (URL)

The URL where the document or the document in context (the content detail page) is located.

The government organization who publishes the document or publication. Not typically the Government Publishing Office (who serves as the printer and distributor), except in the case of Congressional publications.

publisher:

publisher:"u.s. government publishing office"

Branch

The branch of Government responsible for the document's contents.

branch:

branch:legislative

Possible Values: Executive, Legislative, Judicial

Type of Resource

The media type for the document, typically "text". Defined as part of the Library of Congress MODS standard.

typeofresource:

typeofresource:text

WAIS Database Name

The name of the WAIS database to which the document belonged in the former GPO Access system.

waisdbname:

waisdbname:109_cong_bills

Record Origin

How the record was originally generated. Typically "machine generated."

recordorigin:

recordorigin:"machine generated"

Full Title

The title of the publication.

title:

title:"math and science"

Short Title

The short title of the bill is a commonly used abbreviated version of the full title.

shorttitle:

shorttitle:"transportation empowerment act"

Congress Number

The number of the congress responsible for the bill. Congresses last for two years.

congress:

congress:109

Congress Session

Session of Congress. Each Congress is typically divided into two yearly sessions.

session:

session:2

Possible Values: 1, 2

Chamber of Congress

The chamber in which the bill is being considered. This may not be the same as the chamber of origin.

Congressional committee names listed in the bill and located in the bill action.

committee:

committee:transportation

Sponsors and Cosponsors

Senator and Representative names listed in the bill and located in the bill action. Generally, these are the bill sponsors and co-sponsors. All sponsors and co-sponsors are not listed on the bill. There are no sponsors or co-sponsors listed on the enrolled version of the bill.

member:

member:obama

Member of Congress Political Party

The party to which the member belongs, either "democratic", "republican", or "independent".

memberparty:

memberparty:r

Possible Values: d, r, i

Member of Congress State

Member of Congress state code (the two letter postal code of the state).

memberstate:

memberstate:ca

Note: Use two letter state abbreviation

Actions

The text of the actions listed in the bill. This includes the action itself as well as the list of sponsors and cosponsors, if specified.

action:

action:"introduced the following bill"

Action Date

The date an action occurred as listed in the bill.

actiondate:

actiondate:2005-02-09

Note: Date format is YYYY-MM-DD

Action Legislative Day

The legislative day when an action occurred on a bill.

actionlegislativedate:

actionlegislativedate:2007-12-18

Note: Date format is YYYY-MM-DD

Is Private Bill

Preliminary flag to indicate if the bill is private or public. Please refer to the Calendar of the House of Representatives for more information about the bill.

isprivate:

isprivate:false

Possible values: true, false

Is Appropriation

Flag indicates that a bill includes the words to make appropriations, making appropriations, making emergency supplemental appropriations, making further continuing appropriations, making continuing appropriations, or to authorize appropriations in its full title.

isappropriation:

isappropriation:true

Possible values: true, false

Citation

The GPO standard method for searching citation references from the selected publication.

citation:

citation:"h.r. 1234"

United States Code References

Reference to a United States Code citation within the text of the document. This citation may only include the United States Code Title and Section, chapter, or appendix numbers. For example 43 U.S.C. 1337(g) or 50 U.S.C. App. 2078.

uscodecitation:

uscodecitation:"43 U.S.C. 1337"

Statutes at Large Citation

Reference to a Statutes at Large citation within the text of the document.

statutecitation:

statutecitation:"100 Stat. 4093"

Public and Private Law Reference

A referenced public or private law.

plawcitation:

plawcitation:"Public Law 103-206"

Report Number

Reference to a congressional report within the text of the document.

crptcitation:

crptcitation:109-363

Calendar Number Citation

Reference to a congressional calendar number within the text of a document.

Added text is enclosed in quotation marks. These quotes should not be confused with the quotation marks that are part of the text of the bill.

Deleted text is preceded by a <DELETED> tag and followed by a </DELETED> tag. (In the files for the 103 rd Congress, deleted text is distinguished by the insertion of a hyphen before each deleted character.

Note : When multiple paragraphs have been deleted, the tags appear at the beginning and end of each affected paragraph. However, when multiple paragraphs have been added, the quotation marks appear at the beginning of each affected paragraph and at the end of the last paragraph in the series.

PDF files mark changes in the text in exactly the same way that those changes appear in the printed version. See Example